Batteries are very popular and useful power sources for portable electronic products.
Every electronic product has circuitry specific for its application. The circuitry is provided on a circuit board, and the circuit board is mounted in a case separately or along with one or more batteries. The batteries supply power via the circuit board to electronic elements of the electronic product, so that the electronic product can operate normally.
FIGS. 1 and 3 are an exploded perspective view and an assembled sectional view, respectively, of a conventional battery holding structure 1. As shown, the conventional battery holding structure 1 includes a case 11, at least one battery 12, a circuit board 13, and a case cover 14. The case 111 defines a receiving space 111 and has an open top 112. The battery 12 has at least one upward projected electrode tab 121, and the circuit board 13 is provided at positions corresponding to the electrode tabs 121 with through-holes 131, through which the electrode tabs 121 are extended to solder to the circuit board 13, so that the battery 12 is connected to the circuit board 13, as shown in FIG. 2.
The battery 12 connected to the circuit board 13 is then positioned in the receiving space 111 of the case 11. The case cover 14 closes the open top 112 to seal the case 11. In other words, the battery 12 and the circuit board 13 are received between the case 111 and the case cover 14.
Since the case 111 and the case cover 14 are externally visible and touchable, they are usually designed to be aesthetically and tactilely pleasing as well as electrically insulative. To meet these requirements, the case 111 and the case cover 14 are generally made of a plastic material.
However, when the battery 12 supplies power, it also produces heat and accordingly high temperature, particularly when it is used with a high-power electronic product, such as an electrically heated jacket.
In the conventional battery holding structure 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, since the case 11 is in direct contact with the battery 12, heat produced by the battery 12 is quickly transferred to the case 1. However, since the plastic case 11 is not highly heat-resistant, it tends to become heated and even partially molten and damaged by the heat produced by the battery 12.